Hair treatment product with improved care effect

A hair treatment composition comprising: 0.01-5 wt% ester formed from a C8-C24 alcohol and a hydroxycarboxylic acid; 0.01-5 wt% trimethylglycine; and a carrier. The hydroxycarboxlic acid may be an alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid such as lactic acid. The ester may be myristyl lactate. The hair treatment composition may additionally comprise 0.1-25 wt% surfactant, e.g. 0.1-10 wt% cationic surfactant(s). The composition may comprise: (i) 0.5-10 wt% anionic surfactant(s); (ii) 0.5-20 % amphoteric and/or zwitterionic surfactant(s); mixtures of (i) and (ii). The composition may comprise 0.01-10 wt% moisturizing active selected from ceramides, plant extracts, hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, polyols, lactic acid, sodium lactate, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate, carbitol, diethylene glycol monomethyl ethers, medium-chain triglycerides, urea, or mixtures thereof. The composition may be free from silicones and/or mineral oils. Also disclosed is the use of the hair treatment composition to improve the gloss, handling, smoothness, and/or combability of the hair.